HERE we have a bright looking little girl, with both her hand and' hex basket full of flowers, and the flowers growing all around her. But she has her eye on something else than a flower: she sees a beautiful butterfly, and has her hand almost on it; but I expect our nice butterfly will be off before she can catch it, and then she will be disappointed. And even if she should catch it, how long would her pleasure last? Only a brief moment, for the poor butterfly will die, and then all her pleasure is gone.
This picture reminds us of the emptiness of all the pleasures this world can afford. They are all vanity. As the wise man said: "Vanity of vanities ... . vanity of vanities, all is vanity." (Eccl. 1:22Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 1:2).)
The flowers the little girl is gathering, and the butterfly too, will all wither up, and be gone. But even the little girl herself, .will fade and wither like the flowers; and then what?
The word of God tells us, "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as' the flower of grass. The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away; but the' word of the Lord endureth forever." 1 Peter 1:2424For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (1 Peter 1:24).
What then is needed, dear young reader? We need to receive the word of God which endureth forever. Nothing else is worth seeking after. All else fades away like the flowers and the grass and the butterflies. But if we receive the word of God which is preached-to us in the gospel, we receive what cannot wither. We are born again, and will live forever with Jesus our Saviour, in a world where nothing will fade away — a world of light and joy and everlasting glory.
Messages of God’s Love 9/15/1901